Spring structure



0,12. HUNT.

SPRING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION ILED MAY 23| 1919. LQSO. Patented July 6, 1

Y Z SHEETS-SHEET SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented July 6, 1920.

' 0. R. HUNTI ySPRING STRUCTURE. "APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1919.

@9g/WO UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OZELLO R. HUNT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CUSHION SPRING ENGINEER- ING CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SPRING STRUCTURE.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

To all Iwhom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, OZELLO R. HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate, of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spring Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, more particularly to structures employing elements arranged at an angle to each other and connected together in such relation, as, for example, in cushions, or the like, formed of coiled springs connected in grouped relation with connecting elements to afford to the cushion the desired cushioning effect as is common in seats, or as in mattresses formed of resilient members extending in the plane of the structure and connected together by crosswiseextending elements in the form of clips. l

My primary object is to provide for the rigid connecting together of elements in the relation stated to prevent displacement of the one element lengthwise of the other thereof and of such construction that these elements will return to normal condition, as distinguished from becoming set in deiiected condition, after the weight is removed from the'structure, the structure thus provided being economical of construction.

Referring -to the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a plan view, with certain parts broken away, of a cushion seat structure Lin which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a broken view illustrating the construction of a desirable form of my improved connecting element employed in the structure of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4C is a section taken on the line 4l: on F ig. l and viewed in the direction of the. arrow. Fig. 5 is a plan view with certain parts broken away, of a mattress structure embodying my invention; and Fig. (i, a broken section taken on the line 6 on F ig. 5 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Generally stated, my invention consists in the provision of a connecting element consisting of ahollow member formed of wire wound into a spiral and a wire extending loosely in the bore of the hollow member, whereby vthe part, or parts connected with the connecting element crush the wall of the hollow member suiiiciently to fiorm an interlock which preventsslippage, and thewire in the hollow spiral reinforces the latter, and where the parts referred to are formed of spring wire the inner wire aiiords to the structure such a degree of springiness that when the weight is removed from the structure of which the connecting element is a part, the connecting element will, by reason of its inherent springiness, return to normal condition, as distinguished from becoming set in defiected condition.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, wherein I have shown my improved connecting element as forming one of the marginal frame members of a spring structure, as well as the spacing means for the various springs, a plurality of groups of springs, of which the construction is composed, are represented at 7, the uppermost marginal frame member at 8, and the inten mediate connecting, or spacing, members t for the springs, at 9, the members 8 and 9 being constructed in accordance with my invention. The springs 7 at the marginal edges of the spring structure are clipped to the frame-member 8 and the intermediate connecting elements 9,'as by the clips indicated at l0 and l1, respectively, the clips ll connecting together adjacent springs, as indicated.

The members 8 and 9 each consist of a tubular member l2 formed of spring wire wound into a. spiral, with the convolutions thereof extending closely adjacent to each other, in the construction shown each mem ber l2 being formed by winding eight spring wires, arranged side by side, into a spiral, as represented in Fig. 2. It is immaterial, however, so far as my invention is concerned, whether the members l2 be formed by winding a single wire into a spiral or a plurality of wires arranged side by side. The members 8 and 9 also comprise spring wires represented at 13 which, in accordance with the preferred illustrated embodiment of the invention, are of smaller diameter than the internal diamcter of the tubular members l2, the wires i3 extending loosely in the interiors of the members 12 as represented in thc drawings.

In the assembling of the various elements of Figs. l and 1i, the clips l0 and l1 are applied to the springs and the members 8 and 9 to embrace these parts, as illustrated .gap

`of the clip 11 in Fig. 4, the clips 1() and 11 being squeezed into close, gripping, engagement with the members 8 and 9 respectively, with the result Vof causing the tubular memvbers 12 of the members 8 and 9 to become deflected as represented 'in Fig. 4 at the portions thereof engaged by these clips, and

thus preventing the movement of the clips tive to each other.

and 11 lengthwise of the members 8 and 9, respectively, or in other words preventing, in the construction now being referred to, the lateral shifting of the springs 7 relaof the fact that they are of less diameter than the internal diameter of the members 12, permit of the deflection of the latter as y stated and by reason of their springiness serve to cause the members 8 and 9 to spring back to normal straight condition after the Aweight applied to the seat structure, has

wardly extending flanges at its opposite lIl() tilt ends to which the ends of the resilient supporting members 16 of the construction are attached.` The resilient members 16 comprise coilV springs 17 connected with the flanges 15 and intermediate elements 18 connected with the inner ends of the springs 17. The elements 18 are the parts of the structure which are constructed in accordance with my invention, these elements being constructed in the same way that the elements 8 and 9 of Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are constructed, namely by providing tubular members 19 formed of spirally wound wire, which, however, need not be spring wire, containing wires 20 which likewise need not be spring wire, loosely fitting the interior of the mem'- bers 19. The connection of the elements 18 with the springs 17 may be effected in any desired way, as for example by bending 'the opposite ends of the elements 18 into hooks 21 which extend through eyes 22 at the inner ends of the springs 17. At intervals the elements 18 are connected together by clips, represented at 23, which are bent at their opposite ends around the elements 18 and squeezed into gripping engagement therewith, the portions of the tubular members 19 engaged by these clips, deflecting into substantially the condition illustrated of the member 12 in Fig. fi, to prevent displacement of the clips 23 on the elements 1,8 in a direction lengthwise of the latter. The wires 20 inthis construction reinforce and hold the membersV 19 against stretching toA prevent sagging of the mattress.

While I have illustrated and described certain particular constructions embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same he wires 13 by reasonl l may be variously altered and'modified. without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a hollow member the walls of which are capable of being crushed into deflected condition, an element gripping said member, with the portions of the latter gripped by said element, in deflected .condition forming an interlock between said member and element, preventing slippage of said element on said member,

and reinforcing means located in said member,'for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a hollow member the walls of which are capable of being crushed into deflected condition, an element gripping said member, with the portions of the latter gripped by said element, in deflected condition forming an interlock between said member and element, preventing slippage of said element on said member, and spring means located in said member, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of an element formed of a hollow member the walls of which are capable of being crushed into deflected condition and a wire extending loosely in said hollow member, and a second element gripping said hollow member, with the portions of the lattervgripped by said second element, in deected condition forming an interlock between said member and element,

and preventing slippage of said second element on said first-named element.

4.The combination of an element formed of a hollow member the walls of which are capable of being crushed into deflected condition and a spring wire member extending loosely in said hollow member, and a second element gripping said hollow member, with theportions of the latter gripped by said second element, in deflected condition forming an interlock between said member and element, and preventing slippage of said second element on said first-named element. 1..,

5. The combination of an element formed of a hollow member formed of spirally extending wire the walls of said member being capable of being deflected and a wire exgripped by said second element,in deflected condition, preventing slippage of said second element on said first-named element.

7. An element formed of a hollow member, and reinforcing means located in said member, said member in its assembled condition with said means being adapted to. be crushed into deflected condition and in such crushed condition forming interlocking portions for engagement with another member, for the purpose set forth.

8. An element formed of a hollow member and spring means located in said member, said member in its assembled condition with said means being adapted to be crushed into deected condition and in such crushed condition forming interlocking portions for engagement with another member, for the purpose set forth.

9. An element formed of a hollow member, and a wire extending loosely in said member, said member in its assembled condition with said wire being adapted to be .crushed into deiiected condition and in such crushed condition forming interlocking portions or engagement with another member, for the purpose set forth.,

10. An element formed of a hollow member, and a spring wire member extending loosely in said hollow member, saidhollow member in its assembled condition with said spring 4wire member being adapted to be crushed-into deflected condition and in such crushed condition forming interlocking portions for engagement with another member, for the purpose set forth.

11. An element formed of a hollow member formed of spirally extending wire, and

a wire extending loosely in Said hollow mem-` l2; The combination of a hollow member,

the walls of which are capable of being crushed into deflected condition, 'an element crushing said member and crushing the latter into deflected condition, said hollow member at its deflected portion ormingan interlock between said member and element preventing slippage of said element on said member, and reinforcing means located in said member, for the purpose set forth.

. `OZELLO R. HUNT. 

